Despite rising conflict, APC says party not in crisis



Despite the apparent crisis rocking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in recent times, the party has maintained that its National Working Committee stays united.

The crisis took a worse turn on Wednesday when its national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, was suspended following a suit filed by some aggrieved members of the NWC before an FCT High Court.

The judgement questioned Mr Oshiomhole’s right to function in that capacity when his Ward in Edo State had passed a vote of no confidence on his membership.

Eighteen local government chairmen of the party in Edo State allegedly voted against the leadership of the former governor after he was suspended by the ward.

On this ground, the court barred the erstwhile labour leader from accessing the party secretariat pending the determination of a substantive suit.

Drama
Shortly after the court’s judgement, a member of the NWC,  the North-east zonal chairman of the party, Salihu Mustapha, hailed the court’s verdict as he declared that “any decision that Oshiomhole makes henceforth is an illegal decision and will not hold.”

Hours later, just as earlier alleged by Mr Mustapha, the party spokesperson, Lanre Issa-Onilu, issued a statement on behalf of the NWC, controversially approving Waziri Bulama as the party’s new acting national secretary, alongside former governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, and Paul Chukwuma as the Deputy National Chairman (South) and National Auditor of the party respectively.

Meanwhile, as the court verdict continued to generate reactions from members of the NWC, Mr Oshiomhole filed a suit at the Court of Appeal challenging his suspension.

On Thursday, a Federal High Court in Kano gave an opposing order to the FCT High Court and ordered that the suspended chairman continue to discharge his roles till all parties involved in the case are present for the hearing.

Having, following the conflicting rulings of the two courts over the fate of Mr Oshiomhole and the building tension at the party secretariat, the police sealed off the premises on Friday shortly after the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, met with the warring NWC members at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

‘NEC meeting’
In a bid to resolve the lingering crisis within the ruling APC, an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting was called by the ‘former’ acting national secretary, Victor Gaidom.

His call for a NEC meeting was considered unconstitutional by the party’s spokesperson, its national legal adviser, Babatunde Ogala and the controversially approved acting national secretary.

They hinged their arguments on the inability of Mr Gaidom to follow the party’s constitution and due processes, even though the latter maintains that he is next in line in the absence of Mr Oshiomhole.

‘Not factionalised’
However, despite the chaos in the ruling APC in recent weeks, the party maintained that it has not been factionalised.

“In a political organisation such as the APC, contestations are not unusual and are not necessarily intractable. The issues being alluded to in the media reports are matters before the courts and should be allowed to run their normal and legal course. The exaggerated story foreboding armageddon is far-fetched,” the party argued in its statement released on Monday night.

It urged all members all members of the party to stay calm as “our leaders (APC) are capable of resolving any contestations that may arise bearing in mind the best interests of our great party and in the pursuit of progress and development of our country.”

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